Sound-reproducing machine.



C. W. EBELING.

SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE.-

APPLICATION FlLED AUG. 20. 1913.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

sN Rwzw 555th! Il l Witnesses O Attorneys Patented Apr. 9, 1918;

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

vencor Attorneys C. W. EBELING.

SOUND RE'PRODUCING MACHINE.

4 APPLICATION FILED AUG.20. l9l3. 1,261,795.

Witnesse C. W EBELING. SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.20. I913.

Patented Apr 9, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Witnesses Attorneys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES "W1 EBELING, OF 'WHEELING WEST VIRGINIA.

SOUND-REPRODUCING MACHINE.

Application filed August 20, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, CHARLES W. EBELING; a citizen of the United States, residing at Wheeling, in the county of Ohio and State of est Virginia, have invented a new and useful Sounddieproducing Machine; of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improve ments 111 sound reproducing machines, and more particularly to a mechanism whereby the sound record carrier of the sound re-' producing machine is operated from a projector mechanism of a motion picture machine, one object of the invention, being the provision of a'plurality'of such sound carriers with mechanisms for rotating'the same sclectivcly,such selected sound recordv carrier setin operation by the film of the pro jector. whereby when a plurality of'sound records are necessary to properly render the audible part of the scene in connectionwith the film, such records will be operated in proper synchronism and succession.-

A furtherobject of'the invention is the provi'sion'of a novel mechanism by means of which the connectingmedium whereby the record carrier is rotated at the proper time is manually selected to be set in operation and whereby'the same is mechanically released when the next succeeding record is started in motion.

In machines of this type, it is essential that there be no slippingbet'ween the record and the record carrier, and therefore the record must be placed upon'the' carrier while the carrier'is, inert. In the present embodiment, two record carriers-are used'and each isiprovided with a clutch mechanism, one member of which is'operably'connected to the driving mechanism from the projector, both of the sound're'cord carri'ers'therefore being inertuntil the clu'tches'areoperated one at a time to'connect its'respective carrier to the driving means. By thus'making a positive connection, the friction of thestylu's upon the record does'not tendfito 'h'oldfthe record so that a certain amount "of circumferential slipping movement between the record'and the record'carrierwill result should the carrier be rotating. and the record be inert before the connection "between the two is made. It istlierefore essential that the record he placed 'upon a stationary carrierand that thestylus be positioned upon'therecord while all members are inert:

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9-, 1918. Serial Ne. 785,804.

/Viththe foregoing and other objects in VIQW which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the com-' bination and arrangement of parts and in thedetails of construction hereinafter de-I scribedand claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimedwithout departingfrom the spirit of theinvention.

In the drawings- Figure- 1 is a side'elevation of thepresent' device applied to two disk record carriers,- one of the rotary devices beingshown in vertical section. 1

Fig. 2 is a top-plan view of the present device applied to'two record carriers.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33-'of Fig. 2;

Fig; 4 is a. section taken on line l& of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the'mech anism-forreleasing the pawl in its-full releasing position.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the pawl audits magnetic control.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detailed view of the device for moving the releasing stop in operating position.

Fig. 8 is a view partly in elevation and partly in diagram showing the sound record mechanism operably connected to'a motion picture projector.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the film and con tacts actuated thereby.

Referring'to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a platform which is mounted upon standards 2, the platform and standards being indicative of any form-of sup-' port for the sleeves there being one to each sound record carrier, as is clearly/apparent? Disposed on the lower end of each sleeve '3 is a lower thrust screw 4:, provided-with the reduced upper end 5 for the reception of' the lower reduced end 6 of the spindlc or shaft 7. This spindle'or shaft? is projected above the platform '1 and'has dis posed thereupon the disk 8'and the record carrier or platform 9. The upper reduced endbf the shaft 7 constitutes the centering pin-for a disk record while the pin 11 is carried by the carrier 9 or engaged within a second-aperture of the record, so as to hold the record iipon the platform against any independent rotation'or sliding movement. The

outer periphery of the disk 8 is provided with the ratchet teeth 12, the purpose of which will presently appear.

Mounted for free rotation about the spindle or shaft 7 above the platform 1, is a disk 13 provided with the gear teeth 14, the gear teeth 14 being in mesh with the worm .15, said worm being carriedupon the shaft 16. In the presentinstance, two worms 15 are carried by the shaft 16, so

that the shaft 16 is rotated through any de-' sired mechanism from the projector of a motion picture machine (not. shown).

Keyed to and rotatable with the disk 13 of each record carrying mechanism is a sleeve 17, thus the sleeve 17 and the disk 13 are mounted for free rotation about the shaft 7, the upper end of the sleeve 17 being provided with an arm 18, having the counter-balancing weight 19 upon the short end thereof. A vertical pin 20 is mounted in the outer end of the long arm of the member 18, and is disposed to be beyond the teeth .12 of the disk 8, there being carried by such pin, a pawl or detent 21, whose reduced end is disposed to be placed into and out of engagement with the teeth 12.

In order to operate the detent 21 to move its reduced end into and out of engagement with the teeth 12 of its respective record carrying member, a lever armature 22 is connected to the lower end of the pin 20 and is extended to be influenced by the electromagnet 23, which is properly supported from the under side of the arm 18 by means of the strap or other support 24. I

It will thus be seen that when the electromagnet 23 is energized, as will later appear, that the lever 22 will be attracted thereto and thus tilt or rock the pin 20 so that the pointed end of the detent 21 will be placed in engagement with the teeth 12 of the disk 8, and thus as the arm 18 is rotated in the direction of the arrow, as shown in Fig. 2, the disk 13 and record carrier platform 9 will be rotated simultaneously therewith.

Any means may be provided for holding the record carrier 9 inert so as to prevent it from rotating due to the friction of the sleeve 17 upon the shaft 7, it. not being deemed necessary to illustrate the same in the present device.

In order to provide a means for automatically releasing the pawl 21 fromv the teeth 12, when the record has been rotated the desired number of times and it is desirable to shift from the record carrier at the left to the one at the right, :1 lug 25 is carried by the arm 18 adjacent the pin 20, and has pivoted for vertical swinging movement, at 26, the lever 27, the outer end 28 of such lever being disposed beyond and below the periphery of the record carrier 9 and in the path, as will presently appear, to be mechanically actuated so as to elevate the bracket 30 secured at 29 to the inner end of the lever 27 so that the releasing prong 31 will be moved from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5, and thus move the inner free end of the detent actuating lever 22 away from its electromagnet 23 and consequently remove the pawl 21 from engagement with the gear teeth 12.

As indicated by the arrow at the left in Fig. 2, the outer end 28 of the lever 27, will as it approaches the plate 39,-such plate being in the position as shown in dotted lines Fig. 1, strike the under side of said plate, and as said plate 39 is inclined downwardly and in the direction of travel of the lever 27, such end 28 of the lever 27 will ride downwardly and consequently elevate the inner end so that the frame 30 will be elevated and cause the releasing prong 31 to engage the lever 22. The angular disposition of the prong 31 during the elevation of the frame 30 will cause the lever 22 to be moved away from the magnet 23 and consequently as above stated, the pawl 21 will be disengaged from the gear teeth 12.

In order to provide an electrical control for the electromagnet 23 of each of the present record carriers, so that the same may be energized at the proper time and through the instrumentality of the moving film of the projector, the ring 32 of insulation is carried by the sleeve 17, and has disposed therein, a metal disk 33, which constitutes the moving electrical contact of the circuit for controlling its respective electromagnet- 23. A spring arm 34 is supported upon the base 1 and has its free end resiliently engaging the under side of the metal disk 33 of each device.

The electrical circuit control will be set forth in detail later on.

In order to provide a means whereby the respective levers 27 will be operated mechanically to release the respectlve pawls 21, and also to determine which one of the electromagnets 23 will be selectively energized, the same being a manually controlled device, the standards 35 are carried by the platform 1 and have journaled therebetween, the longitudinally slidable shaft 36, I

said shaft 36 being recessed, as at 37, for the reception of the spring 38, which normally maintains the shaft in such a position, that the two lever actuating plates quently oscillate the projecting cam arm 44 I keyed upon the shaft 41 and disposed in the path to engage the pin 40 of the shaft 36 to reciprocate the same in either direction and release the shaft from the spring 38. Two switch actuating arms 45 and 46 are keyed upon the shaft 41 between the support 42 and the plate 42 of insulation and are disposed so that their respective free ends, at the proper time, will engage and depress the respective movable switch members 4848', which are guided in the respective brackets 4747 connected to the support 42. These movable members 4848 are normally elevated by the spring a, their lower ends being disposed to move into and out of engagement with the respective contact plates 49-49 to thus complete the selected electrical circuit, as will presently appear.

Assuming that the record carrier at the left in Fig. 1 is operating, the detent 21 being in engagement with the teeth 12, and it is approaching the end of sound rendition of its record, it is therefore desirable to make ready for the operating of the sound record carrier at the right, it having received its record. The shaft 41 is turned to the left, bringing the cam 44 into engagement with the pin 40 and sliding the shaft 36 to the left to place the plate 39 in the path to engage the lever 27 to thus release the lever 22 and pawl 21 of the sound record carrier at its left, the continued movement of the shaft 41, moving the cam 44 beyond the pin 40 and thus releasing the shaft 36 to return to neutral position, and bringing the switch closing arm 45 to close the switch member 48 to thus close and select the electromagnet 23 of the record carrier mechanism at the right.

In order to provide an electrical control for actuating'the electromagnet 23, the following circuit connections are employed,

but may be deviated from according to the necessitated installation of the present device. The conductor 50 which is led from any suitable means controlled by the projector and preferably through any means connected to and formed in the film there-' of, is led to one side of the source of electrical energy 51, in the present instance, shown as a battery, there being connected to the opposite side of the source, the two opposite conductors 5252'.

As the respective conductors 5252 constitute a portion of the circuit for con trolling the respective electromagnets 23, a description of one complete circuit will suffice for both. Such circuit includes the battery 51, the conductor 52, the spring contact plate 34, the metal ring 33, the conductor 53, the elec'tromagnet 23, the conductor 54, either one of the movable switch members 48-48, either one of the stationary contacts 4949, the conductor 55, which is led to the circuit controlling devices '7 0-71 under the influence of the film F or the projector mechanism, (not shown) and the conductor 50.

By this means, it will be seen that the circuit to be energized through the action of the film, will be manually selected, due to the closure of the switch members 48-49 or 4849 so that the desired electromagnet 23 will be energized at the proper time to throw into engagement the pawl or detent 21 for rotating with the selected sleeve 17 the selected record carrier 9.

The engagement of the pawl 21 with the teeth 12, will normally hold the inner end of the arn'iature lever 22 toward the electromagnet even after the circuit is broken and the electromagnet deenergized, so that at the desired time, the manipulator may operate the crank 43, as before described, to cause the shaft 36 to throw into operation, the second record carrier 9. The shaft 41 is manipulated through the crank 43 so as to close the next switch 4849 and simultaneously operate the shaft 36 so that at the time the electromagnet 23 of the second record carrier is energized the pawl 21 is caused to engage its disk 8 to rotate the record carrier 9.

What is claimed is:

1. Th combination with a source of electrical energy, a film controlled switch, and

manually controlled means for closing one of the two switches at a time, and means adjustable with the manually controlled switch closing means for releasing one of the connecting means previous to the closure of the switch of the electromagnet of the other connecting means.

2. Ina selecting and operating mechanism for sound record carriers, the combination with a plurality of rotary record carriers,ac-

tuating members, one for each carrier, cooperating connecting means between each member and its carrier, means for connecting one of the conecting means at a time, manually controlled means for selectin which of the connecting means is to be 0 erated, and means adapted to be adjusted simultaneously with the latter means for releasing one connecting means as the other connecting means is selected.

3. The combination with a motion picture projector, a film, and a plurality of rotary sound record carriers, of means for controlling the successive operations of the sound record carriers, including a driving, device common to all of the sound record carriers, means controlled by the film for connecting one of the carriers at a time, manually controlled means for selecting which one of the record carriers is to be operated, and means adapted to be adjusted simultaneously with the latter means for releasing one of the record carriers as the other is selected.

at. In a selecting and operating mechanism for sound record carriers, the combination with two rotary record carriers, actuating ,members, one for each carrier, cooperating connecting means between each member and its carrier, means for connecting one of the connecting means at a time, manually controlled means for selecting which of the connecting means is to be operated and means controlled simultaneously with the latter means for releasing one connecting means as the other connecting means is selected, said last means including a longitudinal slidable member adapted to be moved alternately toward the respective connecting means of the two sound record carriers.

5. In a selecting and operating mechanism for sound record carriers, the combination with a plurality of rotary record carriers; actuating members, one for each carrier; cooperating connecting means between each member and its carrier including a toothed member, a toothed pawl for engaging the toothed member, an armature operably connected to the toothed pawl, an electro-magnet for actuating the armature to connect the toothed pawl, and a releasing member connected to the armature and projecting beyond the periphery of its respective record carrier; means for energizing the electromagnet to operate the armature; manually controlled means for selecting which of the armatures is to be operated; and means adapted to be operated simultaneously with the latter means for disposing a projection in the path of the outer end of either one of the armature releasing members, whereby one releasing member is opcratcd while the other armature is electro-magnetically operated.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHAS. w. EBELING.

Witnesses MAY MULLANE, FRED. J. WVHELAN. 

